Texas Constitutional Amendment Election

The Dallas Examiner |
10/28/2013, 5:08 p.m.

Early voting for the Nov. 5, Constitutional Amendment election began Oct. 21 and runs through Nov. 1. Those voting during Early Voting can cast a ballot at a time and location more convenient to their schedule than waiting for Election Day.

Information on the location of Early Voting polling places and times in Dallas County can be found at http://www.dallascountyvotes.org and in other counties by contacting your local elections office.

Please remember that the Nov. 5 Election will be the first statewide election requiring a photo ID for in-person voting.

Many Texans already have an approved form of photo ID. The seven forms of approved ID are:

• Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety

• Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS

• Texas personal identification card issued by DPS

• Texas concealed handgun license issued by DPS

• United States military identification card containing the person’s photograph

• United States citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph

• United States passport

With the exception of the U.S. citizenship certificate, the identification must be current or have expired no more than 60 days before being presented at the polling place. Information about obtaining an election identification certificate is available at the DPS website.

The Nov. 5 statewide ballot consists of nine proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. Voters may also see a number of local initiatives and races on the ballot.

For complete information about where and when to vote, and information on photo ID requirements, visit http://votetexas.gov or call the office of Sen. Royce West at 214-467-0123.

HJR 62 proposes a constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide by statute for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a member of the United States armed services who is killed in action, as long as the surviving spouse has not remarried. An eligible spouse who later qualifies a different property as the surviving spouse’s residence homestead could be authorized by statute to receive an exemption from ad valorem taxation in the same amount received for the first qualifying homestead during the last year in which the surviving spouse received the exemption.

Proposition No. 2

HJR 79 proposes a constitutional amendment to repeal the constitutional provision requiring the creation of a State Medical Education Board and a State Medical Education Fund, neither of which is in operation. No new loans have been made from the fund by the board in more than 25 years, and the board currently has no appointees and receives no program funding.

Proposition No. 3

HJR 133 would authorize local political subdivisions to extend the length of time that aircraft parts could remain temporarily in this state before being subject to ad valorem taxation. Under current law, merchandise, wares, and goods (including aircraft parts) may remain in this state temporarily for up to 175 days before being subject to ad valorem taxation; the proposed amendment would permit taxing entities to extend the exemption up to 730 days after the date that a person acquired or imported aircraft parts in the state.